The following media advisory has been released to the news media:
A proposal to change the name of the University of Missouri-Rolla to Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) will be considered by the University of Missouri Board of Curators during the board’s meeting this week on the Rolla campus.
The curators meet Wednesday, April 4, through Friday, April 6, on the UMR campus.
The curators will consider UMR Chancellor John F. Carney III’s proposal to change the university’s name to Missouri S&T. In announcing the proposed name on March 23, Carney said the name change will strengthen the institution’s identity. The Rolla campus would remain a part of the four-campus University of Missouri.
“The University of Missouri-Rolla is unique among the four University of Missouri campuses because of our focus as a technological research university,” Carney says. “We believe a more distinctive name would afford UMR several advantages in recruiting students on a national level.”
The curators will discuss the name change proposal first during a meeting of the External Affairs Committee. That committee meets from 1-2:30 p.m. Thursday, April 5, in St. Pat’s Ballroom B&C. The External Affairs Committee will then report its recommendations on the proposal during the Board of Curators meeting, which begins at 9 a.m. Friday, April 6.
Another UMR-related item on the curators’ agenda is a proposal to designate a research park on the current UMR Golf Course property located on 10th Street, immediately west of UMR’s Allgood-Bailey Stadium.
The great things seem to be happening at the UMR. I did not know until I read on this blog that there is a plan to set up the research park. I would like to know the details about this research park. This is the kind of development that will be noticed by the world at large. The latest US News ranking for the graduate engineering schools also place several engineering departments among the top 60. I hope to see all the major engineering departments to be among the top 20-30 range. The UMR needs to add several faculty exchange programs with the well recognized international schools, mainly from Europe and Asian Pacific countries. The proposed name will probably be approved by the curators. I only need to update my resume with the new name. Some us would like to have their new diplomas under the new name. Would that happen? While nothing to take away from the accomplishments of his predecessors, the current Chancellor appears to be a visionary and we hope that he succeeds in his lofty goals for the UMR. It is about time!!
So if the Board votes on it this Friday, would Carney announce the decision that same day? This all seems to be moving very fast but I suppose that time is needed to prepare for the change (if it happens).
Nathan - If the board approves a name change on Friday, we (the UMR communications/PR office) will announce the decision via the media, on this blog, and on the UMR website.